Conventionally, an image forming apparatus provided with a job management function that is connected between a plurality of information processors (hereinafter sometimes referred to as user terminals) provided for respective users via a network, accepts a print job from each user terminal and executes the accepted print job which is subjected to management in a predetermined order has been known. See Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2006-025137, for example.
The aforementioned conventional image forming apparatus includes a paper type information acquisition section, a determination section making a determination on whether a job can be output with currently loaded transfer paper, based on paper type information, and a control section controlling, at the time of output, to notify a job which has been determined by the determination section to be printable with the currently loaded transfer paper, and also to change the order of a job which is not printable with the currently loaded transfer paper into one after printable jobs. When a “check” button is pressed, for example, the control section is configured to display a job which can be output with the currently loaded transfer paper. When a “compilation” button is pressed, the control section is configured to compile and bring executable jobs to the beginning in output order, that is, to change the order of a job which cannot be output with the currently loaded transfer paper into one after the printable jobs.
According to the aforementioned conventional image forming apparatus, jobs can be processed efficiently.
However, it can happen in the conventional job management technique that printed sheets for each user are mixed, for example, when the image forming apparatus performs a printout based on a command from each of the plurality of user terminals via a network and also when printed sheets for each user related to a plurality of print jobs are discharged to a common paper output tray. In this case, it is also possible that a user takes away a printed sheet for other users by mistake. In such a case, if the printed sheet accidentally taken away by the wrong user pertains to confidentiality, unforeseen trouble that cannot be overlooked may result.